The Queen
by TheOtherSideOfEverything
Summary: After the war, sixteen-year-old Danielle Hale left Britain, moving to live in the States with her Dad. She struggles to come to terms with what happened, what she had to do in the war, and hoped never to do again. But her hopes are shattered years later when the dead rises and society falls. Setting out, Danielle searches for her Dad, not letting anything get in her way.
1. Chapter 1

**_Summary:_** After the war, sixteen-year-old Danielle Hale left Britain, moving to live in the States with her Dad. She struggles to come to terms with what happened, what she had to do in the war, and hoped never to do again. But her hopes are shattered years later when the dead rises and society falls. On her own, Danielle searches for her Dad, not letting anything get in her way.

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I do not own Walking Dead or anything mentioned in this fic. None of it belongs to me besides my OC, Danielle. I created her with the image of Kiesha Castle-Hughes in mind, the actress that played Gaia in the show "The Almighty Johnsons", with dark hair and dark brown eyes. There are plenty of flaws in this fic and even I recognize them but I used my creative license on some things. Constructive criticism is helpful and always appreciated, as are followers, reviews, or comments. Enjoy! If not, eh, I enjoyed writing it myself.

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 ** _Chapter 1:_** **_I'm In_**

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 _"Little pet, why do you taunt me so?" A dark, feminine voice crooned in her ear, almost like a mother disappointed in her daughter. Dark eyes, gleaming with malice and insanity, stared into hers. When she didn't provide an answer to her question, the woman sneered, shoving her face to the side._

 _"Crucio!" With that one-word, unbearable pain spread through her body, causing a piercing scream to leave her throat._

Deep brown eyes flew open as Danielle Hale shot upright in bed. Her hand instinctively grasped her wand, in its usual place tucked under her pillow. She aimed it around her wearily, searching for a threat. Her chest heaved, her heart beating fast as memories slowly came back to her. She was in her Dad's apartment, not in the Malfoy manor, where Bellatrix had kept her for fun. She was safe.

Slowly, her heart rate lowered and she calmed down, lowering her wand and tucking it back under her pillow. Danielle looked around and sighed, seeing the slightly dark sky outside. Luckily, this time, it wasn't too early, about seven in the morning. Knowing she couldn't go back to sleep, she stood and slipped into the bathroom attached to her small bedroom.

Danielle turned the shower on and stripped out of her nightclothes, a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved sweatshirt. The bathroom started to fill with steam from the hot water as she stepped into the shower. A pleased groan left her mouth as the burning hot water hit her bare back, closing her eyes in bliss. Her hands reached out, plucking a bottle of shampoo up from the floor and squirting some into her hands. She lathered it into her hair, scrubbing her scalp hard, before washing it all, repeating the process with the conditioner.

Her hot shower lasted only about ten minutes as she hopped out, turning off the water. Grabbing a towel, she wrapped her hair up in it and used the other one to dry her body, wrapping it around her when she was finished. She stepped in front of the sink, taking a few moments to brush her teeth, taking care to avoid her tongue where she'd bitten it in her sleep. Once that task was complete and her mouth no longer tasted like blood, Danielle wiped the foggy mirror and studied her reflection.

Deep brown eyes, the same shade of her Mom's, stared back at her. Dark purple bags sagged under them, effects of her lack of rest. She'd slept but she hadn't gotten more than five hours of sleep a night in years, not since she was fourteen. It had been fifteen years but she still wasn't over what happened. At twenty-nine, Danielle still had nightmares.

Her Dad wasn't aware of how bad it had been. He knew the basics, that she had been kidnapped when the school was taken over and suffered at the hands of the teachers. It's why he never asked her to go to high school in the Muggle world when she got back. Instead, he taught her himself, not everything but enough to make it by. He knew she had nightmares and when it came to the bad ones, she would wake up screaming and he would be right there, staying there in her bed until she fell asleep.

Danielle hadn't spoken to her Mom since she was sixteen. Fresh from the war, she'd been placed back in her Mom's care but her Mom simply didn't and didn't want to know how to take care of a traumatized teenager. Her Mom was non-magical and unlike her Dad, she wasn't interested in it. She wanted Danielle to forget about Hogwarts, forget about being magical, and to be normal. But Danielle wasn't a normal teenager and she couldn't forget. Finally, her Mom contacted her Dad and Danielle moved to the States to stay with him.

Her Dad wasn't the parent who taught her to walk or talk but he was the one that taught her how to cope, that showed her the world wasn't all bad. He was there through every step of her recovery and Danielle appreciated it more than he could ever imagine. She loved him so much, loved his loud laugh, his broad smile, his kind eyes, and his big, bear hugs. She swore there wasn't another human being in existence that hugged like her Dad. His hugs were tight and warm. In his arms, she felt like she was safe from anything and everything.

When Danielle turned nineteen, she applied at the zoo that her Dad worked at as a surprise. He was a zookeeper at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, working primarily in the Great Cats section. Danielle's application was accepted and she'd never forget the look of pleased surprise on his face when she showed up at work bright and early, dressed in the zoo uniform. She wasn't an official zookeeper like her Dad, only a worker for the dining areas, but since their boss trusted her Dad, she was allowed into the exhibits with him.

Danielle loved the animals, loved working there, but she did have a favorite. She loved the Great Cats section, specifically the tiger exhibit. The Bengal tiger, Shiva, was beautiful. Whenever she had a break from work, Danielle would wander over there and sit in front of her exhibit, just watching her. Amber eyes with black irises watched her with just as much interest. Danielle didn't know why she felt the connection she did with Shiva but she knew she did.

Her Dad thought it was amusing.

One day, a few months after she started working at the zoo, Shiva fell into one of the concrete moats in her exhibit. Her leg was ripped open. Her Dad called the vets but he didn't hesitate to climb in there himself. Using his shirt, he wrapped her leg up, trying to stop the bleeding. The low whine Shiva made tore at Danielle's heart and she followed her Dad into the exhibit. He didn't find that so amusing but he trusted her. Bending down, Danielle stroked Shiva's thick fur and whispered comforting things to her until the vets came.

After that incident, Shiva never showed any sign of hostility towards either of them. She rubbed up against Danielle and her Dad affectionately when they came to feed her.

A fond smile came to her face at the thought of the beautiful animal and Danielle shook her head, deciding to go ahead and get dressed for the day. Moving back into her room, she picked out a pair of black leather pants, a dark red sleeveless tank, black leather knee-high boots, and her favorite black leather jacket. It was a few sizes too big but it was comfy. She fought with her hair for a few minutes before giving up, leaving it to fall around her shoulders in wild dark brown, reddish curls.

Knowing that was as good as it was going to get for today, Danielle left her bedroom and walked down the short hallway to the kitchen.

It didn't take long to make breakfast. Half an hour after she got up, there were scrambled eggs with Colby Jack cheese melted on them, sausages, and pancakes on the kitchen counter, along with a bottle of strawberry syrup. It was her Dad's favorite and it had become Danielle's favorite when he finally persuaded her into trying it.

Food finished, Danielle sat at the kitchen table and waited patiently.

It only took ten minutes for her Dad to come stumbling in, the smell of the food drawing him in. He blinked blearily, still half asleep, and moved to sit down across from her at the table. Rolling her eyes in fond exasperation, Danielle got up and made plates, setting his in front of him and sitting down with hers. She ate her cheesy eggs slowly, eyeing her Dad.

He was slowly becoming more awake. It always took him at least half an hour to be aware of what was going around him. Danielle thought it was adorable, watching him slowly munch on his cheesy eggs, finally waking up.

"Good morning, Dad," she smirked, sipping at her cup of orange juice.

"Good morning, Dani," he smiled back, now more awake. He reached for the strawberry syrup, lathering his pancakes in it. "What time is your flight again?"

"Ten," Danielle answered, finishing her eggs and starting on her pancakes, using strawberry syrup like him. "Security shouldn't take long so I was thinking about visiting Shiva."

"She'd like that," her Dad nodded agreeably.

The flight was one to Atlanta, Georgia. Her boss at the zoo talked to some official at the zoo in Atlanta and they wanted her over there for a few months to help with the animals since they were understaffed. Danielle didn't really have a problem with it except that she would have to be away from her Dad for a few months. Her Dad didn't like it either but he knew she'd be okay. He was just worried.

Glancing at her watch, Danielle noticed it was already nine o'clock. She stood up, taking her empty plate to the sink, and turned back to her Dad, who was still eating. Moving into her room, she picked up her black backpack and made sure she had everything she needed for the next few months, a couple changes of clothes, her laptop and its charger, and her phone charger. She grabbed her phone from off her nightstand and slipped it into her back pocket, then tucked her wand into her right boot.

Throwing her backpack on, Danielle moved back into the kitchen.

"I guess I don't have the time to say bye to Shiva so tell her for me please? I have to go. Bye Dad, I love you," she kissed his cheek, smiling at the scruff she could feel. He hadn't shaved in a while. Her arms slung around his broad shoulders, hugging him, and he wrapped his around her waist, returning it.

"Sure thing. I love you too, sweetheart. Bye, Dani. Be safe!"

"I will!"

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Five months later, Danielle wondered how everything had gotten so twisted around so fast. She was stuck in Atlanta, surviving on her own. At first, Atlanta was broadcast as a safe-zone, a refugee center. But the military bombed the city, considering it too much of a risk. Danielle survived and took shelter in an abandoned apartment building, making one of the apartments her temporary shelter. She'd run into a few of the other groups in the city, like the Vatos, but mostly she stayed by herself. Her goal was to reach Washington D.C, to reach her Dad. But for now, Danielle was living by herself, scavenging for herself and the Vatos. That group had elderly people to take care of. If it wasn't for her bleeding heart, she would have already been halfway to D.C.

 _What in blazes? This man is either seriously stupid or has a massive death wish._

Leaning forward where she sat on the roof to one of the apartment buildings, Danielle watched the almost comical scene below her. It was like watching a train wreck. She couldn't tear her eyes away. A man, dressed in a Sheriff's uniform, rode down the street in front of her, the horse's hooves clopping loudly on the road. Raising an eyebrow incredulously, Danielle snickered, seeing the horde full of walkers that closed in on the man. Normally, she wouldn't have laughed but that was just a dumb move, riding into a walker infested city on a horse, like some cowboy wanting to save the day.

 _And there he goes. See ya, cowboy._

Danielle watched as he abandoned the horse to the walkers, using the distraction to scramble inside a tank. Shaking her head, she watched as he leapt out of the tank, five minutes later, and ran, joining up with a Korean guy that she'd seen around the city a few times before. The two of them disappeared, escaping the horde of undead.

Danielle sighed, shaking her head at the stupidity, and stood. She didn't have the time to watch those idiots. It was time for a run. The Vatos were expecting supplies from the hospital the next day.

Running forward, she leapt off the ledge of roof, throwing herself forward. There was a brief moment of suspension in the air before she landed on the next roof. She landed gracefully, not breaking her stride as she continued running and jumping across the rooftops, heading towards the hospital.

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 _Are you freaking kidding me right now?! Those pricks!_

Danielle stared with absolute disbelief at what lay before her. After gathering supplies from the hospital, she'd split the goods, giving the Vatos slightly more and keeping the rest for herself. She returned from the Vatos hideout and traveled across the rooftops as usual, until she stopped at a department store. Imagine her surprise when she saw another occupant on the roof.

It was a man. He was dressed in baggy jeans, black leather boots, a faded black sleeveless shirt, and a black sleeveless leather vest. Honestly, he looked like a biker, one of the men her Dad would tell her to stay away from. His skin was bright red and blistered from the hot Atlanta sun, indicating he'd been there all day. He was unconscious, unaware of what was going on around him. Danielle stared at him, feeling sympathy rise in her.

He didn't seem like a bad guy. There was nothing he could have to deserve being left behind, restrained to a pipe, without a weapon to defend himself or supplies to use. It was like leaving an animal to die. He wasn't an animal. He was a human being who had the right to try his hardest to survive.

Danielle groaned in frustration, realizing she couldn't just leave him there. Inwardly cursing her bleeding heart, she bent down and inspected the handcuffs restraining him to the pipe. It was nothing she couldn't unlock with a simple unlocking charm.

 _Alohomora._

Forgoing her wand, she grasped the handcuff and mentally focused on the charm, guiding her magic. There was a small click and the handcuffs popped open. Pulling it off his wrist, Danielle turned her back to him and bent down, pulling him forward. She grunted at the dead weight on her back but wrapped her arms around his legs securely, staying bent over so he wouldn't slide off her back.

Standing carefully, Danielle closed her eyes and concentrated, picturing the apartment she'd made into a shelter. Her magic came to her easily, following her wish. There was a tug behind her navel and a slight popping sound before she stumbled, opening her eyes to see her apartment.

Moving over to the couch, she lowered the man gingerly onto it, standing and rubbing her sore shoulders. She looked down at the unconscious guy with a heavy sigh, moving towards her bag. There were some medications inside that would hopefully provide some relief for his blisters.

After leaving a few pain pills and a glass of water next to him, Danielle sat down in a bean bag chair across from the couch, holding her spear. She had a bleeding heart but she wasn't stupid. Her body was exhausted but she wasn't going to sleep with a stranger there.

Hand tightening on her spear, Danielle forced the idea of sleep to the back of her mind. Her dark brown eyes focused on the stranger sleeping on the couch, her body on high alert. Unfortunately, there was only so long her body could go without rest. Her eyes fluttered shut and her grip on her spear loosened as she passed out, her body pushed beyond the limit.

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The sound of a pained grunt is what woke her.

Reacting instinctively, Danielle scrambled out of the bean bag chair, her grip tightening on her spear as she aimed it towards the sound, still on her knees. Her brown eyes widened as they met pale blue. She stared at the man, who stared back at her. Several long moments passed with the two of them in a stare down, trying to see who would react first.

He did. The stranger smirked, breaking eye contact with her to glance down at her spear.

"Yer the one that saved me, sugar?"

"I did," Danielle nodded, watching him wearily. "No matter what crime you committed, you didn't deserve to be left behind on a rooftop, chained up like an animal."

His smirk faltered, replaced by an unreadable look, as he studied her. "Merle, Merle Dixon."

"Dani," she returned politely, standing.

"I don't say this often but thank ya," Merle nodded to her. He tried to push himself up and hissed in pain, wincing as his blisters stung. Impulsively, Danielle moved over to him and gently helped him sit up, ignoring his hands as he tried to push her away. She stayed stubbornly and stepped back once he was upright.

"You're welcome, Dixon," Danielle moved over to her bag, digging around before pulling out a pack of beef jerky. She ripped it open and grabbed a few pieces for herself before handing the bag over to Merle. He chowed down on the beef jerky, like he hadn't eaten in days. Sitting on the floor, she crossed her legs loosely, holding her spear in her lap as she munched on the beef jerky.

"Ya know, sugar, I gotta get back to my little brother. Ya can come with us if ya want," Merle spoke, his mouth full as he chewed.

Pausing in her snack, Danielle raised her eyebrows at him, surprised by the offer. "We just met. Why would you want me to come along?"

"Ya saved me. Why wouldn't I?" He countered, raising his eyebrows back at her.

"You don't know me. I could slit your throat while you sleep," she pointed out logically.

Merle laughed, shaking his head with a grin. "I doubt ya'd go through all this trouble for little old me, just to kill me."

Danielle cocked her head, furrowing her eyebrows. "Fine then. How do I know you won't slit my throat while I'm sleeping?"

"Ya just have to trust me," Merle answered seriously. "I swear I'll never hurt ya, sugar. Without ya, I'd still be back on that darn roof, cookin' like a lobster."

She studied him, wondering if she could really trust him. Danielle hadn't traveled with anyone. She preferred to travel alone, faster and easier to reach her goal. Her interest didn't lie in making a safe place for a group. No, her only interest was to get to Washington D.C, to see her Dad again. Besides, she used magic while she traveled and she didn't feel like hiding it in close quarters.

Her hand stretched out towards the kitchen area. Merle looked at her oddly, confused. With a tug of her magic, a knife flew out of her bag and flew into her outstretched hand. Danielle twirled it in one hand gracefully, raising her eyebrows at the wide-eyed Dixon, mouth hanging open slightly.

"Still want me to come along, Dixon?"

"Heck yeah I do," Merle recovered from his shock quicker than she expected, giving her a sly grin. "What else can ya do, witchy?"

"I can and will turn you into a worm if you keep calling me that," Danielle informed him mildly, her lips twitching into a small smirk. "A lot of other things too."

"If ya can do all that, why are ya worried about me hurtin' ya?"

"I don't want to travel with someone I can't trust," she answered, throwing her knife. There was a light thud as it hit the hall, sticking there.

"Look," Merle exhaled loudly, frustrated with her stubbornness. "We can help each other. Ya help me find my brother and I'll help ya get to somewhere safe."

"I don't want that," Danielle scoffed, shaking her head. "I could care less about getting somewhere safe."

He watched her, interested. "What do ya care about then? What are ya lookin' for? Ya got family out there or somethin'?"

Danielle looked away from him, fingering her finger-less leather gloves. She debated whether she should answer before admitting the truth. "I'm looking for my Dad. He was in Washington D.C. before all this crap happened."

"Tell ya what," Merle proposed, facing her with a smirk. "Ya help me find Daryl and I'll help ya find yer old man. What do ya say, sugar?"

Danielle looked at him, considering it. She wasn't used to trusting anyone anymore but the look in his blue eyes was sincere. He really would help her find her Dad. Deciding to take the risk, she nodded slowly. "Alright, Merle. I'm in."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Walking Dead or anything mentioned in this fic. None of it belongs to me besides my OC, Danielle. I created her with the image of Kiesha Castle-Hughes in mind, the actress that played Gaia in the show "The Almighty Johnsons", with dark hair and dark brown eyes.

 ** _AN:_** Wow so many people have favorited and followed this story. Thank you so much for that. Two people even reviewed, which just made my day so special thank you to **Lucinda Silver** and **skye-speedy**. I appreciate it. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for putting in the effort of reading this story. Hopefully, it won't disappoint you. Enjoy!

As a small side note, I just wanted to let you know that yes, the hospital that Danielle keeps mentioning is in fact the Grady Memorial Hospital used in the future seasons. At this point, the police officers haven't taken over the hospital yet so it's still abandoned and free game for people to scavenge supplies from. You'll be seeing characters from future seasons in this chapter as well because I wanted to give some conflict, to start off Merle and Danielle's partnership. I hope you enjoy it.

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 _ **Chapter 2: Maybe**_

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After their brief snack, Danielle handed Merle a bottle of aloe to use for the blisters and left him to tend to it himself. She grabbed her bag and made sure all her stuff was inside. It was her takeaway bag, the one she carried constantly. There wasn't much in it, just a few throwing knives, a roll of bandages, a bottle of pain medication, a small set of bolt cutters, a half full water bottle, and a bag of crackers.

Grabbing her spear, she glanced over at Merle, hesitating. She had to at least say goodbye to the Vatos. But she didn't want to leave Merle here alone, in her shelter. She had to start trusting him somehow, Danielle reasoned to herself with a shake of her head, throwing her bag over her head so it was strapped diagonally across her body.

"I have a few errands to run before we leave. I'll be back soon," Danielle told the Dixon as she moved over to the window, hearing him grunt in response, acknowledging her words.

Slipping out of the window, she made her way up the fire escape to the rooftops, taking off towards the Vatos hideout. It only took about ten minutes of traveling across the rooftops before she landed on the roof of the warehouse the Vatos used as a hideout. There was a small broken window in the left side that she slipped inside, carefully avoiding the broken pieces of glass around the rim.

Inside, the warehouse was quiet but warm. Several Hispanic men were scattered around, tinkering with cars. Guillermo, the leader of the group, was talking with Miguel and Felipe. His back was turned to her, unaware of her presence.

Moving further into the building, she navigated through the metal rafters until she was just above the three men. Danielle launched herself forward, hearing startled shouts, and landed lightly on the floor next to Guillermo, using her hands to brace herself. Guillermo had spun around at Felipe and Miguel's shouts, backing up. All three looked like they'd had a mini heart attack.

Realizing it was just her, Guillermo glared, rolling his eyes. "Will you stop doing that, Dani? You look like one of those flying squirrels, little evil devils."

"The dead is walking around, munching on our flesh like candy bars and you're still scared of flying squirrels? Really, G?" Danielle snickered, shaking her head. "That's sad, just sad."

"She got you there, G," Miguel laughed.

"Shut up," he scoffed. "What are you doing here anyway? You just gave us those hospital supplies yesterday."

"How's that going? Did everyone get what they needed?" she asked, concerned for the sicker elderly patients. "I grabbed as much as I could but I only had about an hour before the walkers smelled me and came running. Sorry."

"It's fine, Dani," Guillermo waved off her apology, smiling. "We're grateful for what you got. Everyone has what they need, medicine wise. Well, besides Mr. Gilbert. He still needs his asthma medicine."

"I think I did get some of that. It should be somewhere in that bag," Danielle snapped her fingers, trying to remember. "I hope it helps. Anyway, I'm here to say my goodbyes. I'm leaving today, headed for D.C."

Guillermo nodded, his expression dropping into one of resignation. "I knew you'd be off sooner or later. You gonna say goodbye to Abuela and the others?"

"Best not," she shook her head, giving him a soft smile as she tucked her hands into her jean pockets. "If I did, she'd start crying and I'd never leave."

"That's understandable," Guillermo agreed, reaching out to hug her briefly. "Thank you, Dani, for helping us. Without you, I'm sure we would have lost more people by now. Good luck out there. I hope you find your Dad. Be safe."

Wrapping her arms around him, Danielle returned the hug, smiling. "No thanks needed, Guillermo. Thank you. Stay safe please."

"You got it."

The two separated, stepping back. Turning to Miguel and Felipe, Danielle smiled wider when Miguel rushed towards her, hugging her tightly around the waist. Her arms wrapped around him and she pressed a kiss to the teenager's head. The boy hadn't trusted her in the beginning, until she saved him from one of the undead. Since then, he'd clung to her, looked up to her sort of like an older sister figure. Danielle was pretty sure he'd hoped she'd get together with Guillermo so she'd stay.

"You'll be okay, bud. Listen to G and stay safe," she whispered into his ear, feeling him nod against her shoulder.

"You too, D," he stepped back, wiping his face.

Danielle gave Felipe a brief hug and a warm goodbye before she left, knowing if she lingered there, she'd end up staying. The Vatos were good guys. They looked like a gang but they weren't, not really. They were just a group of guys trying to protect the elderly.

Lost in thought, it didn't take long for Danielle to make it back to the apartment. She slipped inside through the window, closing it behind her. Merle was still on the couch. He'd finished rubbing aloe on his burns so he was stretched across the couch, relaxing. His eyes flicked to her when she came in, watching as she unwound her scarf from around her face and unzipped her leather jacket, feeling a little hot from running across the rooftops.

"Ya got anythin' else to eat, sugar?" he asked, sitting up.

"A couple crackers," Danielle answered, rummaging around in her bag to pull out the bag of crackers and tossing it over to him. Merle ripped open the bag and started chomping down on the crackers.

Moving over to the beanbag, Danielle slipped her bag over her head and set it down on the floor, along with her spear. She dropped down onto the bean bag, sighing as she sank into the comfy chair. Her gaze drifted towards the closed window. The sky outside was darkening fast. It was too late to leave the city. Her exhaustion from using her magic to save Merle and the supply runs she'd made beforehand made her sleep into the late afternoon. Luckily, Merle seemed to have woken up only a few minutes before she did.

She planned to wake up early enough to search the city for a car and make a few last-minute supply runs. A lot of the stores had been picked clean but there were a few places that hadn't been scavenged. The hospital, for one, was a place many avoided. Danielle had only made one trip there for medical supplies for the Vatos. She figured she'd make another run there and pick up some more medical supplies.

"What are ya thinkin' so hard about, sugar? I can see the steam comin' out yer ears from 'ere," Merle asked, breaking her train of thought. He was watching her curiously, having finished half the bag of crackers.

"Just making a plan for tomorrow. If you want to find your brother fast, we need to leave soon. Tomorrow, I'll make a few runs and see if I can find a car with enough gas to get out of the city," Danielle answered, deciding to include him in the plan.

"Ya want my help findin' a car? I can do that while ya find some supplies," he offered, surprising her with how willing he was to help. Then again, he probably wanted to get back to his brother as soon as possible. Something told her sitting in the apartment doing nothing while she searched wouldn't sit well with the Dixon. Danielle completely understood that feeling.

"Sure, thanks," she nodded, accepting it.

She played with her gloves absently, trying to think what else they needed to do the next day. Not paying attention, she leaned back reflexively when she saw something flying toward her face. Her hand came up and caught it, fumbling with it for a second. Danielle glanced down at it to see the bag of crackers, still half full. She looked at Merle questioningly, wondering why he hadn't eaten all of it.

"Noticed ya haven't eaten anythin' and figured I'd share," Merle shrugged like it was nothing. Turning away from her, he laid down and stretched out across the couch, laying on his back with his arms crossed behind his head. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep, relaxing.

"Thanks," Danielle whispered quietly, not really knowing what else to say but grateful nonetheless. He didn't make any sign that he heard her thanks but she figured he did. No one fell asleep that fast.

Slumping back in her chair, she slowly munched on her crackers, her thoughts rolling around. She soon finished the rest of the crackers off and set the empty bag to the side. Leaning back, she stretched out her legs and crossed her arms over her chest, resting her head against the back of the beanbag chair. Her eyes closed and she followed Merle into sleep.

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The next morning, Danielle woke up early morning, around nine or so. Merle woke up only a few minutes after her as she stood up and stretched, wincing when her back ached from sleeping in the bean bag chair. She picked up her scarf and wrapped it around the lower half of her face once more, zipping up her leather jacket. Leaning down to pick up her spear and bag, she slipped her bag over her head and looked over at Merle. He was standing, stretching out his back. There was a loud crack as he stretched, his back popping, and he grinned in relief.

Shaking her head, Danielle's lip twitched up into a smile. "Morning, Dixon."

"Mornin', sugar," Merle replied, cracking his neck. "I was wonderin' yesterday but I forgot to ask. How are ya gettin' around without bein' noticed? More of yer witchy stuff?"

"Nope, no magic involved whatsoever," Danielle snickered, finding it funny that he would automatically think she was getting around with magic. It was possible but it would exhaust her faster. "I just use the rooftops. It's safer than the streets."

Merle furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "Wait, so lemme get this straight. Ya use the rooftops to get around? Ya part monkey or somethin'?"

Danielle snorted, shaking her head. "No, just a habit of mine. I got into it back home out of boredom and I just never stopped."

"Interestin' habit," Merle noted, curious. "Ya got a gun I can use?"

"No guns. Sound draws them and it'll be like ringing the dinner bell," Danielle shook her head. "Knives are much better if you have one."

Patting himself down, Merle smirked as he pulled out a long hunting knife from inside his vest. "Got it."

"Alright, I'm off. I should be back in a few hours," Danielle gripped her spear as she moved towards the window, pulling it open and slipping outside, closing it behind her. Merle waved to her from inside, showing he heard her, and headed further into the apartment, probably choosing to go through the actual door. Climbing up the fire escape, Danielle took off across the rooftops, moving towards the hospital. Might as well start there, she figured.

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Grady Memorial Hospital, one of Atlanta's only hospitals. The place was a gold mine of medical supplies, if anyone was brave enough to sneak inside. There were twenty-one floors, 1,100 beds for patients, and seventeen operating rooms. Danielle only knew because she'd raided the files in the main office and found general information on how the building was structured. It was one of Atlanta's largest hospitals before the outbreak. Now, it was one of many abandoned buildings.

A few of the windows had shattered in the bombings but other than that, the building looked virtually untouched from the outside. There was a building next to it, a parking garage. The roof of the parking garage aligned directly with a set of windows on the tenth floor. One of the windows was broken and Danielle used that as both her entry way point and her exit.

After half an hour of wandering the halls, she found a supply closet on the eleventh floor and loaded up her bag with bandages, rolls of gauze, rolls of adhesive tape, bandage scissors, and tweezers. Her bag was on the floor, half way filled with medical supplies. She was looking over the other supplies and wondering what would be considered necessities when she heard voices. Freezing in place, Danielle strained her ears to listen. She didn't make a sound, even controlling her breathing so it didn't make noise.

"Are you sure no one is here?" An unfamiliar voice rang out. It was deep, male, and alarmingly close to where she was. Danielle would estimate that the voice's owner was only down the hall from the supply closet she was currently hiding inside. Her hands gripped her spear tightly, ready to defend herself if she had to.

"Positive. With how many geeks are outside, I doubt anyone even thought to come near this place," another voice, also male, answered confidently. This one had a distinct accent, an accent she recognized from listening to the Vatos speak. He must have been Hispanic, whoever he was. There was a third pair of footsteps, indicating someone was with them that hadn't spoken yet.

Danielle remained completely still as she heard them walk down the hallway, moving closer and closer to the supply closet. Raising the spear, she waited, all her muscles tensed for a fight.

"You go on. I'll check out this closet, see if there's anything good," the third voice finally spoke and the other two kept walking down the hallway as the third stopped in front of the supply closet.

As the door opened, the man's eyes widened as he stared at her, his hand moving for the gun strapped to his waist. She moved quickly, launching herself forward and aiming her spear towards his throat. The tip of the spear pierced through the bottom of his throat and shoved upwards, coming out through the top of his head. Blood started to pour out as she ripped her spear back. She was already moving before the body hit the floor, flying through the open door and sprinting down the hallway.

Hearing shouts behind her as the other two saw her, Danielle ran faster, her heart picking up pace as she realized she had to get to the tenth floor. She realized in her rush out of the closet, she'd forgotten her bag back in the closet and cursed. Frustrated but knowing she couldn't go back for it, she sprinted around the corner of the hallway, making a sharp left turn into the stairs. Taking them two at a time, she heard the door slam open behind her as she reached the tenth floor, shoving the door open. She ran towards the broken window she'd used as an entry point, jumping through it.

Landing on her feet, Danielle kept running, knowing they were only seconds behind her. Loud footsteps thudded in her ears and she didn't dare glance back. She ran for the edge of the roof and leapt off it, her muscles bunching before springing forward. There was a loud crack and Danielle fell onto the next roof, rolling. She rolled to a stop, hidden from the view of the two men under the ledge. Her side ached and burned like someone had thrown a lit match at her. Looking down, Danielle cursed quietly, noticing the small spot of blood on her right side that was quickly growing.

 _He freakin' shot me. That was uncalled for._

Gritting her teeth, Danielle pushed herself up to her feet, looking back at the hospital. The men had left, apparently satisfied that she was injured at the very least. She used her spear to prop herself up until she forced herself to ignore the pain. For now, it was a bearable ache. Taking off at a run, she continued jumping across the rooftops, trying to get back to the apartment as fast she could.

Fortunately, luck was on her side. Danielle made it to the fire escape of the apartment building just in time. She didn't think her legs would support her for another jump. The right side of her jacket was soaked in blood and she knew her shirt had to be covered in it underneath. Her fingers fumbled with the window before finally shoving it open and she slipped inside. As soon as her legs touched the floor, her knees buckled and she collapsed, falling on her back.

Danielle lay there, winded, her side burning.

"Sugar, did ya-? Dani!" Merle's voice rang in her ears, starting off easygoing before shifting to alarmed when he saw her. He hurried over to her, kneeling next to her. "What happened?"

"Three men, one shot me," Danielle managed to answer, her voice raspy as she struggled to speak. She felt light-headed, like she couldn't form words.

"Alright, alright, stay with me, sugar," Merle commanded, seeing the way her eyes drifted around. The dark brown irises focused on him at his words, watching as he pressed his hands to her side, trying to put pressure on the wound.

Her eyes started to flutter, her grasp on consciousness slipping as the blood loss finally kicked in. The adrenaline from escaping the men and jumping across the rooftops was gone, replaced by exhaustion. It was a deep tiredness that she could feel in her bones and tried to drag her eyes closed.

"Dani, you gotta stay awake for me okay? Keep those pretty little eyes open for me, sugar? Dani!"

The last thing Danielle heard was Merle's voice, gruff but clearly worried. Her dark brown eyes closed, the last thing she saw being pale blue eyes, thinly veiled worry in their depths.

 _Huh. Maybe he does have a bit of a heart to him after all. Maybe I really can trust him._

With that sudden revelation, Danielle slipped into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own Walking Dead or anything mentioned in this fic. None of it belongs to me besides my OC, Danielle. I created her with the image of Kiesha Castle-Hughes in mind, the actress that played Gaia in the show "The Almighty Johnsons", with dark hair and dark brown eyes. Thank you very much to those who have followed and favorited this story, a very special thanks to those who have reviewed, **skye-speedy** , **time-twilight,** **Silver Crystal of Tokyo-Moon,** **MultiFandomLover99,** and **sunset sanctuar** **y.**

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 ** _Chapter 3: Never Regret_**

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 _"Such a pretty little thing," Bellatrix sneered, her long nails scraping across the girl's cheek as she caressed it gently. The young girl, a first year from Ravenclaw, trembled, petrified, but she made no move to stop the Death Eater as the older woman inspected her. Her bright green eyes flickered around before locking with Danielle's dark brown and Danielle knew she'd never forget the look of complete fear in them._

 _She was moving before her mind comprehended what she was doing._

 _"Hey! Leave her alone!"_

 _Leaving her house section in Gryffindor, she strode across the suddenly silent hall, shoving herself between Bellatrix and the younger girl. The younger Ravenclaw hid behind her and Danielle glanced back, indicating with her head that she should go back to her house section. She got the message immediately and scurried over to her house section, quickly disappearing into their ranks behind some of the older Ravenclaw students._

 _Danielle faced forward, knowing there would consequences to her actions. Bellatrix stared at her, her head cocked to the side as her dark eyes roved over her, inspecting her like a piece of meat. A sliver of unease rolled through her stomach but she knew there was no use in showing fear to this woman. It would only excite her and Danielle refused to give her the satisfaction._

 _Her dark brown eyes locked with Bellatrix's in a heated stare, her face set in a hard glare. She was not backing down, no matter what happened. She was fed up with watching the Death Eaters bully the younger kids, fed up with hearing about her Mudblood status, just sick of it all. At this point, Danielle didn't care what they did to her. She was just tired of following their orders._

 _"Severus, this one is mine," Bellatrix spoke directly to the Potions Professor, not taking her eyes off Danielle._

 _"Bella- "Severus started but stopped, seeing the warning look she shot him. "As you wish."_

 _"Come along, pet," Bellatrix grasped onto her arm roughly, her sharp nails digging into her arms painfully. Danielle stumbled along behind her as the Death Eater forcefully dragged her out of the Great Hall. Glancing back one last time, she saw the entire Hall silent, watching her. Many held pity on their faces but her eyes focused on that first year Ravenclaw's expression, the gratitude and the pure relief on her face, as well as the guilt._

 _But, as horrible as the punishment was, Danielle never regretted saving that girl._

Her mind felt foggy as Danielle slowly regained consciousness. Not wanting to open her eyes yet, she kept her eyes closed and just felt, taking in the situation around her. She laid on her front against something, heavy hands grasping one of her legs, just above the knee, and her arm. Whatever she was laying on was moving. Recognizing the sense of motion, her instincts kicked. Her eyes snapped open and she struggled, moving to shove whatever was holding her away.

"Easy, easy, sugar. Yer alright, I swear," a low, Southern drawl rang in her ear and Danielle recognized it instantly. She stopped struggling to move, wincing as her side burned something fierce.

"Not that I'm objecting to this but why are you carrying me?"

Danielle's confusion only grew as she looked around, noticing that they were no longer in her apartment. There was nothing but trees and bushes around them. She wondered where they were. Last time she'd been conscious, they'd been in her apartment in Atlanta.

"Where are we? What happened, Dixon?"

"Relax, sugar. We're fine. After ya came in and passed out, I got us a truck and left Atlanta. I went back to the quarry but it was abandoned. Headed toward the highway, figured that'd be where they went," Merle explained shortly, moving through the forest with a grace Danielle envied. "Truck broke down so I figured it'd be safer to go into the woods."

Taking in the information, Danielle took a moment to absorb it. She was honestly stunned that he hadn't left her behind in Atlanta. Sure, they had a deal but her dead weight had slowed him down. She'd heard the worry in his voice when he found her in the apartment. That right there said he did care about her, if only because she saved him. Danielle was slowly but steadily starting to trust him. He'd gotten them both out of Atlanta, knowing full well that she was dead weight.

He was also currently carrying her, had been for who knows how long.

"Hey, you can put me down now. I can walk," Danielle told him, feeling guilty that she'd been out of it for so long. At her words, Merle stopped and slowly set her down, careful not to aggravate her side. Her legs felt weak but Danielle forcefully straightened up, a hand pressing gingerly to her side. There was a rolled-up shirt tied around her torso, acting as a make shift bandage. The fabric was soaked in blood.

"Thanks, Dixon," she nodded to him, giving him a grateful smile. Merle nodded back, knowing without her saying what she was thanking him for.

"No problem, sugar. Are ya sure ya can walk?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Danielle nodded and breathed in deeply, taking a step forward. Her body ached and her legs felt weak, like they'd fail her any second. She just kept moving, one step after the other, knowing she'd endured worse.

Focused on moving, she jumped when a thick arm wrapped around her waist, surprisingly gentle, and steadied her shaky movements. She looked over to see Merle, who glanced down at her. Then he started off, Danielle following. She stumbled sometimes, her balance failing her, but he was there to steady her, keep her going. The two continued through the forest. Danielle could tell Merle had more experience in the woods so she let him lead and followed.

When the sky started to darken ominously, they knew they had to find shelter. Merle spotted a little Southern Baptist church and they decided to take shelter there for the night. There were a few walkers but it didn't take long for them to be taken care of. Danielle took down one while Merle took down the other two. They dragged the corpses outside, leaving them pressed against the doors to the church. It would ward off any walkers from coming inside.

After that was done, they headed back inside. Danielle sat down on a pew in the front, looking around her curiously, and Merle plopped down next to her.

A thought came to her and she snorted, amused.

"What?" Merle raised his eyebrows, wondering what was funny.

"I was just remembering. I haven't been in a church in years," Danielle laughed softly, looking up at the statue of Jesus on the cross. "Funny that the first time I'm back in one is when the world ends."

"I ain't really a church goer myself," Merle admitted, glancing over at her. "Haven't been since I was a kid."

"I wasn't really either but I didn't hate it or anything. I was always interested in the Bible, in that level of mercy and love," Danielle leaned forward, crossing her arms over the pew in front of her. "But my Mother forced me to go and that soured it a little."

"Not a Mama's girl?" Merle asked, curious.

"Not at all," she shook her head, laughing a little. "She raised me but I haven't actually spoken to her since I was sixteen. She was one of those people that didn't handle change very well. When I changed, well, she didn't know how to react. She just kept pushing me to go back to the way I used to be but I couldn't. I knew I couldn't so we just drifted apart, stopped talking."

Merle nodded, understanding that. Danielle was surprised he was even interested but he was. He seemed genuinely curious.

Their talk was interrupted by a scream. Danielle's eyes widened, recognizing that as the scream of a child. Bolting up, she ran outside, ignoring the pain in her side, and looked around. Her eyes spotted a young girl running towards the church, running from two walkers. Running to meet her, Danielle shoved her spear through one of their heads, ripping it out and making quick work of the other one.

"Come on," Danielle grabbed the girl's hand, tugging her towards the church while glancing back, watching for any more walkers. They stepped inside and Merle closed the doors behind them. He looked at Danielle and rolled his eyes, scoffing.

"Really? Ya could barely walk earlier and ya just run out. Are ya lookin' to get yerself killed?"

"I'll be fine, Dixon," Danielle rolled her eyes back at him, dismissing his concern. She winced, feeling pain shoot through her side, and grabbed it gingerly. Merle was right. She did regret running out like that without thinking but still. The kid could have been killed if she hadn't.

"Mr. Merle?" the little girl asked, surprised and unsure.

"Well, I'll be. Yer mouse's kid?" Merle asked, obviously recognizing her. "Where's yer Mama?"

"Back at the highway. A lot of monsters came through and I ran," Sophia answered, looking at Danielle uncertainly. "Thanks for saving me, ma'am."

"Just call me Dani, Sophia. It was no problem," Danielle replied, giving her a warm smile, hoping it would keep the girl from being scared. It worked. Seeing her smile, Sophia relaxed, looking around. "We're staying here for the night. If you want, you can go ahead and get some sleep. You look tired."

Nodding, Sophia moved over to one of the pews and laid down, curling on her side, facing the pew. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Danielle watched her sympathetically, knowing she must have been exhausted to fall asleep that quick.

Moving over to one of the back pews, she sat down heavily, wincing when she felt her side throb in pain. Merle sat down next to her, his eyes catching her wince.

"Told ya, sugar. How are ya feelin'?"

"Like I got shot," Danielle snorted, shaking her head. "It doesn't hurt too bad."

Merle shot her a look, clearly not believing that. "The bullet's still in ya so we gotta get somethin' to get that out soon. Yer losin' a lot of blood."

"Believe it or not, I've been through worse. I'll be fine," she reassured him, leaning back against the pew.

Quick flashes of memories, of her covered in blood, her wrists slashed, of her laying in a pool of her own blood on a porcelain floor, flew through her mind and she shook her head, dismissing the dark memories. It wasn't something she liked to dwell on.

"If ya don't mind me askin', with all yer witchy stuff, why aren't ya healin' yerself or somethin'?" Merle asked, interested.

"I don't know how," Danielle answered honestly, shrugging her shoulders. "Not only that but I don't think I would be able to right now. Hate to admit it but my body's weak. I've lost too much blood. If I tried to heal myself and failed, I'd pass out again and it'd be a long while before I'd wake up."

"Ya don't know how? Why?"

"I never actually finished my education, learning what I was supposed to learn. I had a year left before I quit," she explained. It was something Danielle knew she'd needed then. At sixteen, traumatized as she was, she'd needed a break from the wizarding world and time to heal. Now, she wished she could go back and finish her education. There were so many things she wished she could learn. At the beginning of her fifth year, she had just figured out that she really liked Runes and had a knack for them.

"Only a year? Why'd ya quit if ya were so close?" Merle asked, confused.

"I changed and I didn't think it was right for me to be there anymore," Danielle answered vaguely, turning her head to look at him. He still looked confused but that was all she was going to say for now. Maybe someday she'd tell him. It wasn't likely, seeing as her Dad didn't even know the full extent. "You should probably get some sleep. I'll keep watch."

"Alright, if yer sure. Wake me up if ya need anythin'," Merle agreed, standing and moving up one pew. He laid down and stretched across it, crossing his arms behind his head. It wasn't long before his snores filled the air.

While the two of them slept, Danielle kept watch. She looked around the church, slightly amused. It had been such a long time since she'd been in a church. The last time she had was before the war, when she was fourteen, innocent with so much hope for the world. After the war, she'd infuriated her mother by not going. She refused to go, finding no reason to worship when she'd suffered so much. It had been a dark time for Danielle. She'd been lost, jumping at shadows, having no idea how to move on from it. Her Dad had been a blessing there. He was non-magical and she hadn't told him anywhere near the full extent of what happened that year but he knew enough. He knew something had happened to her, something that changed her into a very broken sixteen-year-old.

Her Dad helped her move on. He showed her that she didn't have to stay broken. She had suffered greatly but that didn't mean she had to continue suffering. With her Dad's careful help, Danielle slowly began to heal. There were so many emotions she had to overcome but there were two she struggled the most with. The first was her sense of anger, a boiling fury that the God she believed in had not helped her for an entire year. Danielle was so angry that He had let her go through everything she had. It was wrong to feel that way, she knew even at that time, and it caused a sense of guilt as well.

That sense of guilt grew and added to the other conflicting emotion she had to overcome. Danielle hated herself, hated the way she'd broken under Bellatrix's coos and curses, hated the way she woke up screaming from memories that replayed in her sleep. She thought she was weak, letting a Death Eater break her mentally and physically. Sometimes, laying on that floor with Bellatrix on top of her, Danielle had wondered if she was like the Longbottoms, if she had descended into insanity. However, her Dad worked hard to show her that she wasn't weak, that she had lived through something not everyone could, and that she was not insane.

It was because of him that she had become the woman she had. It wasn't perfect since she was still haunted by the memories but she was able to shake it off, to get out of bed in the morning, because of him. Danielle was more grateful to her Dad than she could ever express. She loved him more than anyone else in the world.

That was why she was so focused on getting to him. She wanted to make sure he was okay, to protect him like he had protected her. If she lost him, Danielle knew she would break and this time, there wouldn't be anyone able to pick up all the pieces.

For the first time in years, Danielle leaned forward on the pew and bowed her head, sending a prayer up to the God she still believed in, despite everything that had happened.

 _I know I haven't been the most faithful, Lord. I was so lost and so, so angry all the time. I'm sorry for how I acted, for losing my faith for a while. But I know you did bless me. You blessed me with my Dad and I can't ever thank you enough for that. Please, Lord, if you can find any love left in your heart for me, keep him safe. You don't even have to do it for me. Just please, keep my Dad safe._

For the rest of the night, Danielle kept watch, glancing every now and then at her sleeping companions. It felt like only a few minutes before the sun rose but she knew it had been hours. It was a beautiful sight, watching the sunlight pour through the stained-glass windows and shine down on the wooden pews. She stayed there, watching, as Merle and Sophia woke up.

The peaceful scene was broken by the ringing of bells. The church they were in didn't have a steeple so there must have been a timer on outside. Merle searched the inside of the church for a minute, frantically trying to find the source of the noise, before cursing loudly. He knew it would attract the walkers and he wasn't confident they could take them all on, with Danielle injured and Sophia just a kid.

There was no time wasted on packing since they didn't have supplies anyway. Merle just had his knife and Danielle had her spear. Sophia had her doll but that was it. Stuffing his knife in his vest pocket, Merle came over and surprised Danielle by picking her up the same way he had before, in a fireman carry. Danielle didn't bother to protest, feeling weaker than she did before. She felt light-headed from blood loss and she was sure she needed to change her make-shift bandage whenever they stopped somewhere.

"Come on, kid! Stick by me!" Merle barked at Sophia, who nodded as the two of them rushed out of the church. They ran into the woods, towards the highway.

Danielle refrained from throwing up as her stomach rolled uneasily, nausea rising. She just wrapped her arm around Merle's back, holding on as best as she could. Her side burned worse than ever and she could feel her bandage getting wet. White spots danced in front of her eyes, obscuring her vision, but she forced them away, blinking rapidly. She couldn't lose consciousness now, not when they were in danger.

"Hey, don't fall asleep on me, sugar. Stay awake," Merle commanded, his hand squeezing her arm firmly where he held it. "If ya fall asleep now, I don't know if ya'll ever wake up."

"I know. I'm trying," Danielle groaned, hissing as her side was jolted when Merle jumped over a log.

"Sorry, sugar," Merle apologized, glancing over to see Sophia next to him, sticking to his side like glue, carrying Danielle's spear.

They broke through the tree line, coming out on the highway. Looking around, Merle froze, seeing that familiar RV in front of them. The old man, Dale, was on top of the roof, keeping watch as usual with T-Dog next to him. Lifting her head, Danielle looked up at them, squinting, before she felt her stomach lurch unpleasantly.

"Dixon, set me down now," she tapped him on the shoulder and he listened, setting her down on her feet carefully. She didn't waste any time falling to her knees and hunching over as everything that she'd eaten in the past few days made a reappearance. It wasn't much, just some crackers and soup, then acid. Gagging, she felt a hand grasp her hair and pull it back away from her face. She stayed there, shaking, as she closed her mouth, wiping the back of it with her hand.

Danielle knew she was getting worse. Her entire body shook, warring between freezing and burning hot, a sign that she had a fever. Glancing to the side, she saw Merle crouched down next to her, letting go of her hair to put a hand to her forehead. His big hand was unexpectedly soothing so she leaned into it, closing her eyes.

"Come on, sugar, let's go take care of that bullet," Merle spoke quietly, slipping an arm around her knees and another around her back. He lifted her up and Danielle didn't protest, just leaning her head against his shoulder as she trembled. Merle glared as he shoved past Dale and T-Dog, who'd come down from the RV upon seeing them.

He didn't bother to say a word to either of them, just shooting them a deep glare, as he moved into the RV, heading towards the back. Seeing the cot in the back, he bent down and gently laid Danielle on it. She was covered in sweat, as if her body was overheating, but she was also shaking hard, like she was freezing. When he felt her forehead earlier, it was burning hot. He needed to do something about that gunshot wound now or she wouldn't make it.

Danielle watched him dazedly, forcing her eyes to focus on him. It was ridiculous how much she already trusted him, having only known each other a few days. Strangely enough, she had a feeling she'd never regret it.


	4. Chapter 4

Wow. Very special thanks to those who have reviewed, many of which have reviewed more than once. Thank you very much for reading this. Enjoy!

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 ** _Chapter 4: Partners_**

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While Danielle was thinking of her fragile but growing trust in the man, Merle was focusing on saving her. He left her for a moment to rummage around in the RV's cupboards. It took only a minute for him to find a pair of tweezers, along with a sewing kit, a bottle of whiskey, and one of Dale's clean shirts. He crouched down next to her and she turned her eyes to him, dark brown irises meeting pale blue.

"Hey, Dixon," Danielle murmured, smiling softly. "You ever done this before?"

"A few times," Merle grunted, carefully untying the make-shift shift bandage from around her torso. Danielle winced, closing her eyes tightly for a moment, before opening them again to look over at him once it was off. "I was a Marine for a few years."

"I could see that," Danielle laughed weakly, wincing as she glanced down at her side. The skin was a sickly pale color but the bullet hole was red, covered in blood, some dried and some wet. "Merle Dixon, proud Marine. I bet you looked good in the uniform."

"Ya bet yer hat I did," Merle snorted, knowing she was trying to distract herself. They both knew how much this would hurt. Grabbing the bottle of whiskey, he screwed it open and looked at Danielle. She met his eyes evenly, giving him a smile. "Sorry, sugar, but this is gonna hurt."

"I know," she agreed, her fingers reaching out and grasping on to the bedsheets around her. "Go ahead."

Merle poured the whiskey on the wound, grimacing as he watched Danielle's reaction. She ground her teeth together, squeezing her eyes shut, and her grip on the sheets tightened until her knuckles were a bright white. But she didn't scream, didn't make a noise other than the sound of her jaw locking and teeth grinding. Merle was reluctantly impressed. The woman was stronger than she looked, as small as she was.

"Next part, please," Danielle spoke, her voice slightly strained. "Let's just get this over with."

"Alright, sweetheart. Just try not to hit me, alright?" Merle asked, picking up the tweezers and leaning over her.

Danielle nodded, keeping her tight grip on the sheets, as he pressed the tweezers down into the wound. She locked her jaw, feeling pain rip through her side as he dug around for the bullet. It was painful but she'd experienced worse. Danielle felt her throat tighten, wanting to scream, but she forcefully shoved it down. She wasn't going to scream, not this time.

Luckily, he found the bullet relatively quick and pulled it out, dropping it and the tweezers down on the bed next to her. He grabbed the sewing kit, pulling out some thread and a needle. Not wasting any time, he started sewing the wound up. The first thread made her feet twitch but Danielle didn't make a sound, other than a grunt, as he quickly but carefully sewed her wound shut and tied it off.

Once he had tied it off, Danielle slumped, her body trembling, as she inhaled and exhaled shakily. She didn't know how much longer she could have gone without making a sound.

He used Dale's shirt as a bandage, wrapping it around her torso and tying it carefully over the wound. Danielle looked down, raising her eyebrows at the comical Hawaiian pattern of the shirt.

"What the heck? At least it's not a shirt any of us are going to wear," she commented, scrunching up her nose in distaste.

"End of the world, sugar, ya'd be surprised," Merle chuckled, shaking his head.

"Screw the end of the world," Danielle snorted. "I'd go starkers before I wear something like that."

"I'd pay money to see that, sugar," he smirked at her.

"I bet you would," she laughed, looking up at him, a hint of mischief lurking in her brown eyes. "Too bad I don't have any use for money these days."

"Ain't that the truth," Merle snorted, shaking his head. "Bout as useful as tits on a bull."

A short bark of laughter left Danielle's throat, surprising the Dixon. She smiled up at him, thinking the saying was odd but funny. It was accurate enough. Money had no use in the apocalypse. Weapons, medical supplies, and food had more value than anything else.

"That's not a saying I've heard before but it's true," she commented. "I guess you could use it to start a fire, if nothing else. Anyway, thank you Merle, for fixing me up."

"Yer welcome, sweetheart," he replied, patting her hand absently. "Just protecting my partner is all."

"Partner huh?" Danielle cocked her head to the side, considering. Her lips slowly curled up into a smirk. "Alright, I think I can live with that."

"Not tryin' to fight me no more?" Merle asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "Ya were so against us workin' together. What changed yer mind?"

"I was against it because I didn't trust you," she said simply, purposefully using the past tense. She waited, watching as he caught it. The crease in his forehead smoothed out as he looked down at her thoughtfully, studying her. Her smirk softened into a small smile. "Don't make me regret it, Dixon."

Just as he opened his mouth to reply, the door to the RV swung open and someone stomped inside. Her instincts kicked in and she bolted upright, hissing at the pain in her side, scooting back on the cot until her back hit the window. Merle stood in front of her, his massive bulk blocking her slight frame, his fists clenched. He relaxed, however, as he saw who it was.

Danielle blinked in surprise, watching as the unknown man and Merle hugged tightly, patting each other on the back in a brotherly fashion. She figured that must have been his younger brother who he'd been looking for. They pulled back after a short, whispered conversation, turning towards her.

"Sugar, this is Daryl, my little brother. Daryl, this is Dani, the gal that got me off that rooftop," Merle grinned broadly, clasping a thick arm around his brother's shoulders.

The first thing that Danielle noticed about Daryl was that he had the same blue eyes as Merle. He looked down at her silently with an unreadable expression, lifting one of his hands to chew on his thumbnail while the other grasped the strap of his crossbow. Her eyes lingered on the weapon for a moment, noting that it looked heavy, before she met his eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Daryl," she smiled, nodding politely. A thought came to her and she smirked, hoping it would break the ice. "Gotta say, you don't look much like your brother here."

It worked. The quiet tension disappeared as Daryl snorted, amused, and Merle smirked.

"Lucky for ya, ya got the good-lookin' one of the two," Merle winked at her, clapping his brother on his shoulder before releasing him.

"I didn't say that now," Danielle smirked, amused, as he frowned down at her and Daryl chuckled, a low rasping sound.

"She got ya there, Merle."

Merle's frown deepened, displeased, before he leaned down and flicked her in the forehead. Eyes widening, Danielle yelped in surprise and leaned back, rubbing at her forehead with one hand.

"The heck was that for, Dixon?"

"Flirtin' with my little brother, sugar. Yer not his type," he scoffed, scowling.

"Oh please, you call that flirting? That's nothing. Also, I'm everybody's type, honeybunches," Danielle snapped back, rolling her brown eyes. She paused, noticing that the redneck was starting to rub off on her. She picked up some of his habits, like pet names. "If I was really flirting with somebody, you'd know it."

"Uh huh, whatever ya say, sugar," Merle rolled his eyes, still irritated. "Ya feelin' better now?"

"Yep, thanks to good old nurse Dixon," Danielle answered, winking at him. Pushing herself up off the cot, she winced, feeling her side burn painfully, but rested a hand against it gingerly, pushing away the pain. She saw the worried glint in Merle's eye and brushed it off, smiling. "I'm fine, Dixon. Nothing a good night's sleep can't fix."

"Yer as stubborn as a bull," he complained, frowning. "Yer gonna kill yerself, walkin' around like that."

"I'll be fine, old man," she rolled her eyes with a smirk, leaving the RV with one hand gingerly cradling her side. Merle and Daryl ambled out after her, the older man still frowning at her recklessness. Once she was out, she leaned against the side of the RV, looking around wearily. The group was bigger than she'd thought, four men and two women.

Out of the four men, three of them were young, around her age, while the last was an elderly man. Danielle couldn't help wrinkling her nose, seeing the elderly man wearing a different version of the Hawaiian monstrosity currently tied around her wound.

 _Ew. I thought with the end of the world, people would stop wearing those darn things._

Her attention shifted to the two women, analyzing them. There was a blonde who seemed shaken by something and a grey-haired older woman. The grey-haired woman was on her knees on the paved road, her arms wrapped tightly around Sophia, seeming disinclined to let her go ever again. Sophia seemed to be of a similar mindset, her tiny arms wrapped tightly around her mother's shoulders as she buried her face in her neck.

Danielle softened, seeing the two, her heart aching at the sight.

 _Will Dad's reaction be like that when I see him again?_

Shaking it off, she looked to the elderly man as he came over to her. His eyes drifted to Daryl and Merle behind her, lingering wearily on Merle for a moment, before shifting back to her.

"I'm Dale," he introduced himself politely, offering his hand. His smile was kind, she noticed, willing to bet anything she had that he had been a grandfather before all this.

"Dani," she replied, shaking his hand firmly with her free hand before letting it go. "You're the group that left Merle behind in Atlanta?" It was a rhetorical question. She already knew this was the same group, having seen how Merle scowled and glared when he saw them. At the time, he'd been too preoccupied with getting her wound taken care of to explain but she had figured it out.

Hearing her question, Dale faltered, nervously wringing his hat in his hands. He tried his best to explain, even as she eyed him. "Well you see… That was an unfortunate accident."

Danielle raised her eyebrows, distinctly unimpressed with that excuse. It was flimsy at best. "That was no accident. You don't just handcuff someone to a pipe and leave them on the roof of a walker infested city by accident."

"It was a mistake," Dale admitted readily with a sigh. "We went back for him but he was gone."

"If I hadn't gotten him off that roof, he would have died of heatstroke. Not to mention, that chain holding back the walkers was coming loose," she shook her head, instantly shutting down his feeble defense. "Gotta say, not a glowing recommendation of your group so far."

Dale frowned disapprovingly, opening his mouth to retort, but he was cut off by the grey-haired woman, who had wandered over to them. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around Sophia, who was still clinging to her waist as she walked close to her mother.

"Are you Dani?" she asked, speaking directly to Danielle.

Shifting nervously, wondering what she was going to say, Danielle nodded, eyeing her. She was expecting a rant, an attack, something aggressive. What she didn't expect was for the older woman to let go of Sophia and launch herself at her. Danielle let out an embarrassing squeak, utterly dumbfounded, as the woman's arms wrapped around her shoulders tightly, an affectionate gesture that made her freeze. Her dark brown eyes wide, she glanced over her shoulder at Merle for help, wondering what to do.

The older Dixon was snorting like a bull, laughing at the helpless look on her face. Daryl wasn't much better, smirking as his blue eyes twinkled with amusement at her situation.

Danielle reached up with her free hand and patted her back awkwardly, still not knowing what the heck she was supposed to do in that situation. Luckily, the older woman pulled back and stepped a safe distance away, making her sigh in relief.

"I'm Carol, Sophia's mother," Carol smiled at her, wiping her teary eyes. "Thank you so much for keeping my baby safe and bringing her back to me." She was genuinely grateful, her blue eyes shining with gratitude.

"You're welcome, ma'am. I'm Dani," Danielle decided to introduce herself, giving the older woman a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you, Dani," Carol nodded back, beaming as she wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders. Danielle knew it would be a while before the mother was confident enough to let her daughter out of her sight again. It was understandable really. "Nice to see you again, Merle."

"You too, mouse," Merle returned with a nod, his expression shifting into a scowl as the dark-skinned man wandered over. Danielle noticed the bloody shirt wrapped around his forearm and hoped it wasn't a bite. "Well if it isn't the idiot that left me on that roof."

"I dropped the key man, I really am sorry," the man replied, giving him an apologetic look. He looked at Danielle, curious. "And who are you?"

Before Danielle could introduce herself, Merle strode forward, planting himself at her side, and slung a heavy arm around her shoulders, drawing her close to his side. She didn't bother to protest, merely rolling her eyes as she leaned into him, appreciating the support since her side was aching.

"This is Dani, the little Angel that got me off that rooftop," Merle grinned proudly, squeezing her shoulders as he let her lean into him. "Gal's an angel in disguise, I swear, only reason I'm livin'. Sugar, this is T-Dog."

"You make me sound like some kinda savior," Danielle snorted, shaking her head. "Wouldn't have gotten out of Atlanta if it wasn't for Merle."

"Aw Sugar, yer too kind," he leered down at her, arm tightening around her shoulders. "Anyways, I just came back for my little brother."

Daryl hesitated, his expression torn as he glanced at his older brother, then over at Carol with Sophia. Realizing his dilemma, Danielle decided to help him out. She elbowed Merle lightly in the side, making him glare down at her.

"Change of plans, Merle. There's no rush and I don't feel right leaving them defenseless with a kid," she gestured to Sophia, who beamed up at her.

"We're not helpless," a voice protested her statement as the blonde woman she hadn't met yet stormed up to them. She glared at Danielle with bright blue eyes, furious. "We don't need you to stay. We've been doing just fine by ourselves."

"Oh really?" Danielle cocked her head, looking around the group. "You lost a kid on this highway when a herd swept through. That doesn't exactly count as 'just fine' to me. No offense but I think this should be discussed with the one in charge." Without giving the blonde another glance, she looked to Dale, addressing him directly. "Where's your leader?"

"Rick and Shane aren't here. Carl was shot," a man she had yet to get the name of answered her, moving to stand next to Carol. He was a young Asian guy. "We have two kids in the group, actually. Thanks for bringing Sophia back. I'm Glenn, by the way."

"You're welcome," Danielle nodded, giving him a smile. "Now what happened?"

"We were looking for Sophia and the group split up to cover more ground. Rick, Shane, and Carl, Rick's kid, went off to look more and we headed back here. There was a gunshot and we ran into a girl who told us Carl had been shot. She took Lori, Carl's mom, back to her family's farm, and told us to go there."

"Alright," Danielle nodded, absorbing the information. She didn't know these people but she knew it wasn't safe to stay at the highway for the night. It was too dangerous, knowing a herd had swept through. They could come back at any time. "I think we should go to that farm then. No use staying here for the night, too dangerous."

Everyone nodded in agreement, some reluctant but knowing she was right. The blonde woman glared at her before stomping past her into the RV, slamming the door shut behind her. Danielle stared after her for a moment before shaking her head and turning to look at T-Dog.

"That's not a bite, right?" she nodded down to his arm, wrapped in a bloody shirt.

"Nah, tore my arm up pretty bad on a car door," he answered, glancing down at it.

"Looks bad," Danielle agreed. "You should probably go lay down in the RV. We need to get moving if we want to make it to that farm before dark. Glenn, do you know the way?"

"Yeah," Glenn nodded. "I'll lead Dale in the RV."

"Alright, thanks," she looked up at Merle, raising her eyebrows. "Guess we're riding in the RV too?"

Nodding, Merle dragged her back into the RV while Daryl went off. She sat down at the table, sinking into the comfy booth, and he sat down next to her, thick arm still slung around her shoulders. The RV took off slowly, rumbling down the road as Dale followed Glenn's directions. There was a loud rumble and both glanced out of the window next to them.

"Oh, come on, that's my bike," Merle complained, seeing Daryl on his motorcycle, riding past them.

"That's hot," Danielle snickered, amused. "Gotta say, I wanna ride on that thing."

"Ya like bikes, sugar?"

"Yeah, always wanted to ride one but never got the chance," she laughed, smiling as she remembered her Dad's face when she asked if she could have a motorcycle. He had not been impressed in the slightest. "My Dad didn't like them. He thought I'd fall off."

Merle chuckled, probably imagining just her falling off the motorcycle.

"Ya know what? I'll let ya ride with me, sugar, that way ya won't fall off," the Dixon promised, grinning cockily. He winked at her. "It'll be a ride ya'll never forget."

"I'm sure," Danielle shook her head, smiling.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Summary:**_ After the war, sixteen-year-old Danielle Hale left Britain, moving to live in the States with her Dad. She struggles to come to terms with what happened, what she had to do in the war, and hoped never to do again. But her hopes are shattered years later when the dead rises and society falls. On her own, Danielle searches for her Dad, not letting anything get in her way.

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I do not own Walking Dead or anything mentioned in this fic. None of it belongs to me besides my OC, Danielle. I created her with the image of Kiesha Castle-Hughes in mind, the actress that played Gaia in the show "The Almighty Johnsons", with dark hair and dark brown eyes. I wanted to say thank you to those who reviewed, always makes me want to write more. I'm sorry for updating a little late but I've been a bit busy. This chapter's a little short for my tastes but I'll make it up to you the next one. Enjoy!

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 ** _Chapter 5: Cowboy_**

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It was a short drive down to the Greene family farm. When they reached the gate, Glenn hopped out and opened it so the RV could drive through, closing it behind them. They drove up to a tree next to the house and parked underneath it. All of them piled out. Danielle winced but kept moving, stepping down from the RV and looking around. It was dark so it obscured her view slightly but she could see that the house was an old-fashioned farm house, very Southern.

The door opened and a woman strode out, her light brown hair bouncing around her shoulders. She eyed them all with a critical gaze, eyes lingering on the bloody Hawaiian shirt that was tied around Danielle's side and the bloody shirt wrapped around T-Dog's arm.

"You should come inside and we'll get that looked at," she told them, gesturing for them to join her inside the house.

T-Dog started off after her with Glenn supporting him as he swayed from blood loss. Danielle hesitated, not really wanting to do anything else to irritate her injury, and yelped embarrassingly as a thick arm wrapped around her shoulders. Merle dragged her up the steps, onto the porch, and into the house, ignoring how she stumbled next to him.

"Come on, sugar. Don't be stupid," he drawled in her ear, sending her a grin as she glared up at him.

Daryl followed behind them, his blue eyes glittering with amusement as he watched the interaction.

Merle dragged her over to the kitchen table, pushing her down into a chair across from the woman, who snickered at the glare Danielle was sending him.

"I'm Maggie, by the way," Maggie introduced herself as she opened the first aid kit next to her. "So, what happened?"

"Dani. I got shot leaving Atlanta," Danielle answered simply, letting Maggie reach forward and untie the shirt from around her side.

She winced, feeling her peel the shirt away to look at the stitched wound, and looked away, focusing her eyes on a picture frame hanging up in the hallway. It was a picture of the Green family, she assumed, with a white-haired older man, a grey-haired smiling woman, a brown-haired young guy, a pretty little blonde girl, and a younger Maggie. The family seemed happy.

"Looks good. Whoever did the stitches did em' nice and straight," Maggie commented, bandaging the wound with a piece of gauze and taping it there. When she was done, she lowered the shirt Danielle was wearing back over it gently.

"Thanks," Danielle nodded, glancing over at T-Dog, who had a blonde-haired woman helping him. He was grimacing and sweating bullets, grinding his teeth painfully as she stitched up his arm.

"Whoever gave you that pain medication saved your life, you know," the older woman commented to T-Dog, who grunted.

"Daryl?" Merle asked, the realization dawning on him as he turned towards his younger brother. "Ya gave him my pain pills?"

"Just the ones for clap," Daryl murmured, fidgeting nervously. "He needed em' more than you."

Merle's face twisted into an angry scowl from where he stood next to Danielle, who observed the interaction with interest. She could tell Daryl was genuinely nervous about what his brother was going to say. It confused her that Merle would be angry about losing a few pain pills when he wasn't injured himself. Unless he was using them for something else.

The oldest Dixon opened his mouth to shoot off at Daryl but stopped when a hand grabbed onto his arm. Looking down, he met the dark brown eyes of Danielle.

"Hey, it's okay, Merle. You don't need that anymore," she smiled up at him, genuine and honest. There was a deeper meaning behind her words that he caught instantly, judging by the slight widening of his eyes. He stared down at her for a long moment before relaxing, his scowl shifting into a smirk.

"Yer right, sugar. It's alright, Daryl," Merle dismissed, ruffling Danielle's hair with one hand. Daryl looked surprised, his eyes wide as he glanced between them. He was caught off guard by his older brother's reaction. He had expected a growl an insult, or something like that. Daryl eyed Danielle thoughtfully, wondering at the effect she had on his brother.

A man in a police uniform walked into the room and Danielle's attention shifted to him. Her eyebrows rose to her hairline in surprise, recognizing the guy instantly.

 _Well, well, cowboy did survive then._

Cowboy stopped in the doorway to the dining room, his blue eyes wide with surprise as he looked at Merle.

"How…?"

"Officer Friendly," Merle sneered at him. He was obviously still fuming over the fact that the man had left him back in Atlanta. His big hands curled into tight fists, barely restraining himself from beating the man's face in. The only reason he didn't was probably because Daryl had explained how the man's kid had been shot and he didn't need any more stress.

Danielle couldn't say she blamed him for it. The group had just left him there to fend for himself. He would have died from either heatstroke, with how hot the sun was beating down on him, or worse, he would have died from the walkers that were beating at the door to the roof, wanting to reach the nearest food source. It was unbelievably cruel, leaving him there to fend for himself. Any man would break under the pressure. Luckily, Merle didn't seem to have broken from it. If anything, it was added as fuel to make him stronger.

She didn't know the group personally, had said only a few words to each of them. But the fact that they were willing to do that to a human being, just abandon someone like that, made her hackles go up. If they were willing to do that to Merle, then they would be willing to do that to her too. She didn't know these people, didn't share any bonds with them. There was nothing stopping them from abandoning her in a tight spot just like Merle.

Danielle was unsure about the group. She didn't know if she wanted to join them. For now, she resolved to just keep her guard up around them. Merle was the only one she'd come to trust.

"Who are you?" Cowboy asked, interrupting her train of thought. Realizing his sharp blue eyes were focused on her, Danielle nodded to him with a smirk.

"Dani," she introduced herself simply. "Glad to see you made it out of the city, cowboy. I thought you'd be a goner, shooting down the street like that and hiding in the tank."

He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "It wasn't one of my brightest moments, I'll admit. Nice to meet you, Dani. I'm Rick, Rick Grimes."

"Rick Grimes, I'd say it's nice to meet you as well but that'd be lying," she replied honestly, her smirk widening at his surprised expression. "You left Merle behind on that roof, handcuffed and alone. I wouldn't even to that to an animal, let alone a member of my group. I have to say, the fact that you did that doesn't give me high expectations for this group."

Rick frowned and immediately moved to defend himself. "We went back for him the next day. It wasn't our fault he was gone by then. All he had to do was wait for us to get back."

"Why would he do that?" Danielle scoffed with a shake of her head. "You left him so as far as he was concerned, he was on his own. A lot can happen in one night, cowboy."

Before the argument could continue, a tall, willowy brunette woman and a man with a shaved head came into the room. The woman immediately went to Rick, leaning into him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She was most likely his wife since the two didn't share any family features.

"Lori, this is Dani. Dani, this is Lori, my wife," Rick introduced, seeing the questioning look the woman was throwing him.

Lori looked drained and she barely had the energy to nod at the other woman, giving her a weak smile.

The man with the shaved head, however, is who drew Danielle's attention. He was staring at her. The look in his eyes made alarms blare in her head. There was a hint of lust in his eyes, just a sliver among the darkness that lurked there. It was obvious to Danielle that he was not sane. That made him unpredictable and more dangerous.

"That's Shane, my partner," Rick introduced, seeing the way his best friend's eyes were trained on her.

With a small nod, Danielle felt a chill creep down her spine as he kept staring at her. She leaned back in the chair, trying not to show how unsettled she was by his gaze. Merle seemed to pick up on her discomfort as he leaned against her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. Grateful for the small gesture that spoke volumes, she reached up to wrap her arm around his waist loosely in return.

Danielle absently wondered when she'd started trusting him enough to be so attuned to one another.

"Well, I think that's a wrap for tonight. I don't know about anyone else but I'm beat," Merle smirked, helping Danielle up from the chair and keeping his arm wrapped around her shoulders casually. "It's time for us to hit the hay. Come on, sugar."

She followed willingly as he led her out of the house, Daryl following behind them. Merle moved into the RV and she waited outside while he rummaged inside for something. When he came back out, he was carrying a folded tent and a blanket. He led them further out, a safe distance from the rest of the group, and set up the tent with Daryl helping.

"There was only one so we're gonna have to share. That okay with ya, sugar?" Merle asked her, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. The look made her snort in amusement, her dark brown eyes lightening.

"That's perfectly fine with me, Dixon," she reassured him, her voice light with amusement.

Once the tent was set up, the three of them slipped inside. She settled down between the two brothers, all three laying on their backs. It was a tight fit with three occupying a tent meant for two people. To her left, Daryl was as stiff as a board, clearly uncomfortable with the close quarters. To her right, Merle was situated comfortably on his back with his arms crossed behind his head.

"If ya get cold in the night, sugar, ya can always move closer to me. I don't bite."

"I'll keep that in mind, old man," Danielle snickered softly, smiling as Merle rolled his head to give her the stink eye for calling him an old man. He was a bit older than her, she knew, but he wasn't really old.

"Watch it, lil girl."

 _Stupid little girl_ Bellatrix's voice hissed in her mind and Danielle's body tensed, her eyes closing as she breathed in deeply. Panic crawled up her spine but she ignored it, forcefully calming her down.

 _Calm down, idiot. She's not here. You're safe. Well as safe as you can be during an apocalypse._

When she opened her eyes, she saw both Dixons staring at her, having noticed her reaction.

"Ya okay, sugar?" Merle asked, a concerned glint in his blue eyes.

"Yeah, I'm good," Danielle nodded with a sigh, clearing her throat of the lump that seemed to have sprung up while she was panicking. "I just... don't like being called a little girl. Sorry for the freak out."

"It's alright, sugar. Jus' relax," the older Dixon murmured quietly, shifting his gaze back up to the top of the tent.

She nodded and turned her head to send Daryl an apologetic look. He looked back at her for a minute before shaking his head, dismissing her little freak out, turning his back to her to get some sleep. A sigh left her lips as she shifted to lay on her right side, facing Merle, and folded her arm to prop her head on it. His gaze was focused on the top of the tent still, not paying any attention to her.

Danielle prayed she was too tired to have any nightmares for the night. It wouldn't be good to bother the Dixons with her night terrors. In hindsight, maybe it would have been a better idea to sleep in a tree or something. At least then she could put up a silencing spell so no one could hear her while she dreamed.

Merle's breathing evened out and slowed before loud snores echoed. It made her smile, laughing quietly, before she drifted off to sleep herself, hoping for a peaceful sleep.


End file.
